This invention relates generally to a sealing plug for tightly closing an opening in a panel and more particularly relates to securing such sealing plug in a liquid tight manner to close openings in a vehicle chasis with a heat responsive seal ring.
According to the state of the art, sealing plugs for tightly closing openings in vehicle panels is known such as disclosed in Great Britain patent specification No. 1,354,973. Typically such prior sealing plugs are of a resilient construction having a circumferential flange about which is placed the heat responsive ring. The ring is held in place on the flange by a circumferentially extending shoulder. Placement of the plug within the panel opening to be sealed is achieved by applying pressure which, because of its resiliency, causes the sealing plug to flatten so that the heat responsive ring is positioned parallel between the flange and the panel. Such known constructions have proven inadequate for several reasons. One deficiency in such construction is the resulting incomplete seal between the heat responsive ring and the sealing plug. The handling of the two-piece plug proves to be time consuming and expensive in terms of installing such two-piece plug into the opening.